Invalid-bed



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

I. D. JOHNSON.I

INVALID 13H11.l

"failli ATTORNEYS. f

(NQ Model) .Y z s,heetssheetw2"\ I. D.`JOHNSON.

, l INVALID BBD.

N0. 247,921. .Y s I ,Patented 0G13, lM1881.

fo- 1 f v ATTORNEYS.

N varias. Pnuminmgmpam wasn-gm, n4 cv IisAAo D. JOHNSON, OE KENNETT SQUARE, PENNSYLVANIA.

1,. j INVALID-BED'.

snrrIcATIoN forming part ef Letters Patent Ne. 247,921, dated oeteber 4, 1881.

"/To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, IsAAo D. JOHNSON, of Kennett Square, in the county of Chester and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved InvalidBed; and l do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming .4 part of this specification, inWhich- '1o Figure lis a perspective View of the bed With the mattress removed. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the bed-frame. Fig. 3 is a rear view ofthe head of the hed. Fig. 4e is a detail,'showing the means for fastening one end of the straps to the bed-rails to form the stretcher. Fig. 5 is aperspective view of the commode. Fig. 6 is a device for. turning the patient from one side to the'other.

My invention relates to certain improvements in invalid-beds. Said improvements consist, first, inthe peculiar mechanism for raising a hinged head-section of the bed to bring the' patient into a Asitting posture or for lowering the same, as desired; secondly, in combining with the said device counter-weights, that balance the Weight of the patients head and shoulders and enable the patient to adjust himself through a suitable cord and connections;.

thirdly, in means for locking and unlocking the hinged head-section by the same movement that raises and lowers it 5 fourthly, in the combination of a stationary stretcher of canvas or straps with a subjacent mattress or bed made vertically adjustable beneath the same, to al- 10W the bed to be removed from the patient to cool his back, permit him to use the commotie, receive injections, Src.; fthly, in the means for regulating the tension of the stretcher; sixthly, in the peculiar arrangement of the commode in relation to the mattress and the stretcher-frame; seventhly,in a supplemental openingwith cover formed in the commode, topermit the patient to'wipe himself after usingthe commode; eighthly, in the combination of a pulley, cord, and weight with the stretcher, having a constant relation to the same, and an adjustable bed beneath the stretcher; ninthly,inalongitudinal raillocated above thebed, to carry the cord that operates the hinged head-section andto form a point of attachment for a sling, by which the patient Application led August 22, 1881. (No model.)

is enabled to turn or partially shift himself in bed; and, tenthly, in means for turning the lar frame when the bed is set up, or may be Y taken down and packed parallel with said frame in compact form for easy transportation.

Across the side bars of the mainframe is distended the stretcher, which may be composed ot' a single sheet of canvas or a number of transverse strips, T, as shown. These strips are stretched transversely across the frame A, and are attached to the said frame at one side by bars a, Fig. 4, that are passedA through a hem or loop in the ends ofthe strap and then screwed to the frame, and on the other side have an adjustable connection with the rail, which permits the tension of the strips to be increased or lessened as desired. This adjustable connection consists (see Fig. 1) of a bar, a', which is passed through the hem or loop on this end of the strips, which bar has -a screwthreaded hole formed through the same,l into which passes a vertical screw-stem, b, which passes through a perforated lug, c,f1xed to the side of theframe A, and terminates in a head swiveling beneath said lug. Now, by turning this screw-stem it will be seen that the bars a are drawn down and the strips drawn tighter over the edge of the frame A.

To the main frame is hinged an ordinary form of head-section, I), which forms a part of the stretcher and may fold inside the frame A or be raised to bring the patient into more or less of a sitting posture, To manipulate this hinged head-section a rising and falling sash or frame, E, Figs. .2 and 3, is arranged to slide in guides just behindthe head-board, and is connected to the hinged head-section vby connecting-bars F, that are jointed to the outer portion of the head-section at one end and to the bottom of sliding sash or frame E at the other, which arrangement of parts gives a constantly-increasing advantage inleverage as the head-section is raised. To said sash or frame is attached a cord,d, that passes over a pulley IOO at the top of the head-board and passes down into the range ot' reach ofthe patient or attendant.

To balance or nearly balance the weight of the patients head and shoulders, so that he himself` or his attendant may raise him by means ofthe cord, as described, without much effort, Iplaee in suitable channels or guides in the posts at the head-board two weights, G Gr. These weights I attach to cords e c, that pass around pulleys at the top of the posts andare connected with the sliding frame, so that the tendency of the weights is to raise the frame and the hinged head-section ot the bed.

In order to tix the inclination of the hinged head-section at any desired point, a notched bar,f, Fig. 3, is Iixed to the back ofthe headboard, and the top rail, g, ofthe sliding frame is recessed to slide over it. Upon the top of this rail is a bolt, h, that is driven byaspiral spring, i, into the notches of barj' to lock the parts, and is withdrawn from said notches by a lever, j, pivoted in the top rail and passing through a slot in the bolt li. To this lever the cord d is attached, by which the frame is raised, the position of the leverj when the bolt is locked into the notches being such that a pull upon the cord d tirst withdraws the bolt from the notches ot' the barfand then raises the frame and the hinged head-section, so that i'or unlocking and raising the head-section but one movement is necessary.

Just beneath the stretcher as sustained by the frame A is the mattress K, carried by a slatted frame, L. This mattress and frame are made to pass inside the main frame A and press up against and sustain the weight of the patient, or be lowered and leave the patient supported upon the stretcher. For giving the necessary movement to the mattress and frame the latter is suspended upon four cords, 7n k and l l, of which Zlpass directly to a roller, M, while k k, which are atthe foot ot' the mattress, pass first around pulleys m m and then extend in horizontal position to roller M. This roller is provided with a crank-handle, u, by which it is turned, and a ratchet-wheel and pawl, o, to hold it to any desired position. By winding or unwinding the cords upon this roller it will be seen that the mattress is raised or lowered as desired. When adjusted close up to the stretcher it sustains the weight of the patient andforms a comfortablebed. When, however, itis lowered it leaves the patient sustained upon the stretcher with a free circulation of air underneath, which permits his back to be cooled, allows him to use the commode, and permits him also to be washed or receive injections without being disturbed. By placing a pillow upon this mattress and then raising it against the body of the patient special support maybe given to any part ofthe patient.

The commode consists of a box, N, extending crosswise the bed and sustained at its ends in grooves in the inner sides of the longitudinal rails of main frame A. Aboutmidway of these rails are pivoted stops p, Fig. 2, which, when turned down, define the position to Which the box is to be slid from its normal position at the head-board, stopping saidbox in a position immediately below a re-enforced opening in the stretcher beneath the seat of the patient. This box, when out of use, occupies "a position close to and in front of the head-board, sliding in the grooves ot' the frame A beneath a stationary board, P,which acts as a cover to the box; or said box may, by turning the stopsp up, be slid to the foot of the bed, where they grooves have an outlet at the bottom, through which the box may be entirely taken out. This box has an opening, r, Fig. 5, in its top, which registers with the re-enforced opening in the stretcher when the commode is being used, and has also an end door, t, Fig. 3, through which the chamber is inserted or removed. Beside the main hole o* in the top of the box, there is also a smaller supplemental hole or opening, s, having a sliding cover, u, through which holo the patient may pass his hand to wipe himself without the necessity ot raising himself from the box. In order to allow the commode to occupy a position at the head of the bed and still allow the mattress to be raised and lowered, the mattress is made shorter by an amount equal to the width ot the box, and the supporting-t'rame for the mattress is made with a transverse opening atits end, (see Fig. 2,) adapted to pass up around thebox whenever the mattress is raised.

With respect to a certain value which the sliding commode-box has in connection with the strips forming the stretcher and the adjustable mattress beneath, I would state that when the box is beneath the seat ot' the patient its hole may be provided with a cover and a cushion placed thereon. Ihe stripped character of the stretcher then allows both teet of the patient to be placed between said strips and rest upon the mattress beneath, thus allowing his whole body to occupy a natural and easy sitting posture, as shown in dotted lines ot" Fig. 2.

R, Fig. l, is a longitudinal rail or bar, which is sustained upon lthe top ofthe head and foot board, and carries the cord tl. This rail has also another otiice, in that it supports a sling, c2, above the patient, by taking hold of which the patient can secure a hold for turning, raising,or easing himselfinto a different position, which is particularly desirable in cases of inflammatory rheumatism.

S, Fig. 1, is a cord and weight passing over a pulley, o, fixed to the foot ofthe bed, which cord is designed to be attached to the foot or leg of the patientto produce a steady strain thereon in cases of fracture, where such strain is desirable to prevent shortening of the limb. I do not claim this pulley with cord and weight as broadly new for this purpose, butonly in combination with the stretcher having a constant and unchanging relation to the pulley and the vertically-adjustable mattress beneath, where IOO IIO

v247,921 l s by the wants of the patient can be attended to without removing the tension from the fracturedlimb.

, T2, Fig. 2, is a detachable table, which has at one edge a pair of. hooks that t in eyes in the posts of the foot-board, while at its edge :next to the patient it has folding legs, which, when turned into a vertical position, have their lower ends seated in sockets in the side rails of the bed to sustain the table. When the table is not required for the meals ot' the patient or for reading, it can be entirely removed.

To turn the patient in bed from one side to the other, wide strips U, of canvas, oil-cloth, or other suitable material, may be attached to the stretcher-strips at the middle and left free at the ends, in which ends hand-holes are formed for pulling the patient over, or to which ends cords may be attached and carried over pulleys on the longitudinal top rail for this purpose.

Instead of supporting the cord d on a longitudinal rail, R, as in Fig. l, I may, if desired, employ a swinging bracket, B2, as shown in Fig. 2.

Having thus described my invention, what claim as new isl. rEhe combination, with the hinged headsection of an invalid-bed, of a vertically-sliding frame arranged in guides back of the headboard, and rods jointed to the frame at the bottom and to the head-section at the top, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination, with t-he hinged headsection ot' an invalid-bed, of mechanism,"`sub stantially as described, for raising it, and one or more counter-weights to balance said headsection, as described. i

3. The combination, with the hinged headsection of an invalid-bed, of a vertically-sliding frame connected to the head-section by jointed rods, a locking device arranged upon the vertically-sliding frame and adapted toengage with the rigid parts ot' the bedstead, and a cord connecting with the sliding' frame through said locking device, as described, whereby the unlocking of the frame and the adjustment of the same is effected by one and the same movement, as described.

4. In an invalid-bed, the combination, with a stationary stretcher, of a subjaccnt vertically-adjnstablemattress adapted to pass within the frame of the stretcher and sustain the weight of the patient, or be dropped below the same, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. The means for regulating the tension of the strips forming the stretcher, consisting ot' the combination, with said strips and the bedrail, of bars arranged within the hem of said strips at the end, and. having screwholes through the same, a headed screw-bolt passing Athrough said bar, and also through a lug atural sitting posit-ion with his feet below his seat,

as described.

8. rlhe commode having a circular opening in its top, with an opening at the side of the same, substantially as and for the purpose described.

9. The com bination of the pulley, weight, and cord at the i'oot of the bed, the stationary stretcher having a constant relation to said pulley and weight, and the subjacent verticallyadjustable mattress, as and for the purpose described.

10. In an invalid-bed, the combination, with the foot and head board, of a longitudinal rail sustained upon the top of said head and foot board, as and for the purpose described.

ll. The combination, with an invalid-bed, of the strips U, for turning the patient, fastened at the middle to the bed and free at the ends, substantially as described.

The above specilication of my invention signed by me this 17th day of August, 1881.

y IsAAc D. JOHNSON, M. D.

' Witnesses:

EDWD. W. BYRN, UHAs. A. PET'HT.

It is hereb certified that in Lettcrs Patient Nn. 2417 ,921, grunted October 4, 1,831, to Isaac D. Johnson, for m1 immofvenmnf` in Invalid Beds, nes (56 und (i7, m page were inadvertently t'zlnsposedby fhcpprinerin tlm printed specification zlytfzlched m :1nd fhrmng :I part of Suid Letters Patent; that the` proper cnrruutiuns have 1mm mmh' in the lcs and records uf the Patent Ohcu, und m-v hereby nmdv. in said Letters Patent.

Signed, countersigned, :und sealed this 18th day oi' October, A. D. 1881*.

[SEAL.} A. BELL,

Autng .Sm/'rotaryy gf yflu;r Interim'.

Uountcrsigned E. N. MARBLE,

Cmmnfissio/ner gf Patents. 

